As outlined, the plan is a bust because it fails to address the flaws with the parliamentary institution. Its idealistic goal of creating an arms-length panel and its selection process is just more politics as usual.

The plan calls for a group that would consult with a broad-based group of Canadians in its work. This group would be independent, arms-length from government.

It would then present five "merit-based" preferred candidates for each senate vacancy to the prime minister.

The recommendations would be non-binding. Selection criteria would include the prime minister's preference for gender balance. Additional priority considerations would be given to indigenous people, linguistic, ethnic and minority communities.

The theory is this is the best way senate appointments could occur under the current framework. The theory is flawed.

The appointments to this arms-length board would be made by the government in power. There was no mention by the minister whether the appointees would or would not be friends of the governing party.

Once appointed, the five-member panel would consult with community groups, minority groups, elected officials and others.

With the potential for the board to stuffed with Liberal party patronage, it begs the question of which groups would be consulted? Ones with ties to the party?

The nominees would be "merit-based." You cannot have a true merit-based nominee if you have to consider gender-balance, linguistic, ethnic, ability/disability or other minority concerns. Once you have to balance groups, merit goes out the window.

True merit-based selection processes are blind to gender or other factors and consider just the candidate's works.

The prime minister would not be bound by the board's recommended nominees. Justin Trudeau could still appoint whomever he wished. This makes the plan nothing more than a glorified public relations exercise and a fruitless effort in faux transparency.

The risk with a plan like this is an even more flagrant abuse of party graft than what we've seen in the past. Not only would party patronage extend to the senate as it has in the past, but also to the board

making the recommendations.

The prime minister has already met with the provincial and territorial leaders once since taking office. He has stated he would consult and meet with them more often than his predecessor. If so, why can he not meet with them about senate reform?

Because he doesn't want to.

It is easier to talk about climate change, or cap-and-trade schemes. Feel good politik is far easier than meaty subjects like the constitution, and much trendier.

Constitutional reform after all, is the third rail of Canadian politics. It is a dangerous thing to put all the provincial and territorial leaders together in a room and state, "hey, lets change the constitution."

In the case of the Canadian Senate, it is long past due. The proposals have been made for decades to move to an elected senate. A senate with equal representation across all provinces. One with a clear role that is effective, not just a rubber stamp.

The prime minister was elected on the promise of providing real change for Canadians. To serve up a double round of patronage with a good PR spin, makes this senate plan a bust.